Overweight Trucks are Avoiding Weigh Stations in South Carolina

May 27, 2015
By
Pierce, Herns, Sloan & Wilson, LLC

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An
investigative report from WSOCTV 9 found that overweight trucks that avoid freeway weigh stations
are causing more serious
accidents. The report recounted an accident from two years ago that claimed the
life of 27-year-old Ashley Watson on Highway 321 in Gaston County, South
Carolina. Watson ran into the back of a truck pulling a tractor, then
an 18-wheeler truck plowed into both vehicles. The drivers of those trucks
were arrested. The trooper who made the arrest said that at least one
of the trucks was carrying 8,000 pounds more than legally allowed, which
contributed to the severity of the accident.

More Weight, More Damage

According to a state official cited in the article, the more weight a truck
has, the more damage it will cause in a collision. Additionally, an overweight
truck has less maneuverability and may experience loss of steering control.
The excess weight can damage various components of the truck and cause
critical malfunctions such as tire blowouts and brake failure. If an overweight
truck needs to make a sudden stop, the extra weight may cause it to jack-knife,
or possibly even roll over. Overweight trucks take longer to brake to
a complete stop and, therefore, are more prone to collisions. An overloaded
truck is also likely to have cargo that is not sufficiently secured, which
can lead to things falling off the truck and causing collisions.

The
Federal Highway Administration sets the maximum gross vehicle weight on interstates at 80,000 pounds,
with certain exceptions permitted for intrastate trucks. According to the
Truck Safety Coalition, the chances of a large truck accident resulting in deaths and serious
injuries increase with each extra ton of weight over 80,000 pounds. A
100,000-pound truck takes 25 percent longer to stop than an 80,000-pound
truck. Additionally, even a truck weighing in at the legal 80,000-pound limit is
50 to 100 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a truck weighing about 50,000 to
65,000 pounds.

Large Truck Accidents

The Truck Safety Coalition collected data showing that crashes involving
large trucks represented about 12-13 percent of all traffic fatalities,
despite the fact that large trucks make up only 3 percent of all registered
vehicles. The fatality rate for tractor-trailer crashes is double that
of the rate of fatalities for passenger cars, and passenger vehicle occupants
die in record-breaking numbers in collisions with large trucks because
of the weight difference. Sadly, 97 percent of the deaths in two-vehicle
crashes involving passenger vehicles and tractor-trailers were the passengers
in the smaller vehicle.

Legal Help for Trucking Accidents in Charleston

When an overweight truck causes an accident that results in injury, there
are many individuals involved in loading, unloading, and maintaining a
truck that may be held liable. This can include the truck owner and driver,
the freight owner, the loading or shipping companies, and the manufacturers
of the brakes or tires. If you have been involved in an accident with
an overloaded truck, contact an experienced
Charleston personal injury lawyer today. The attorneys at Pierce, Herns, Sloan & Wilson, LLC will help
you understand the complexities of commercial vehicle liability and get
compensation for your injuries.

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